00:38, 14 February 2014 | GMT +5
Plushenko retires from figure skating after Sochi injury withdrawal
SOCHI. KAZINFORM Four-time Olympic medalist Evgeny Plushenko announced his retirement from figure skating Thursday after withdrawing from the Sochi Olympics with a back injury.

The 31-year-old fell on a triple axel while warming up for his short program at the Iceberg Skating Palace, and after failing to skate it off informed the judges he would not be able to compete, R-Sport reports. "I'm ending my career," he said. Of further competition, he said: "My age allows it, but 12 operations are too much." Plushenko helped Russia win team gold last week, and felt well enough to continue despite the presence of the injury, his coach said. The withdrawal causes extra heartache for Maxim Kovtun, Russia's 18-year-old skater who beat Plushenko in the Russian nationals in December but lost out on the country's one Olympic place to the Turin 2006 champion.
To read more